Campaign signs cause frustration and irritation

As voting day approaches campaign signs seem to grow exponentially. But for Lee County Commission candidate, Tim Nelson, there are several signs that he would like to see taken down.

Nelson claims that the signs along US-19, and US-82 promoting the TSPLOST initiative are in violation of the sign ordinance passed earlier this year.

"I didn't have any complaint with the message. The issue was, they were multi-message signs and in order to be a multi-message signs in Lee County, they have to be permitted," said Nelson.

However, Bob Alexander, Director of Planning for Lee County tells a different story.

"In our ordinance it says that they're not required to have a permit on temporary signs," said Alexander.

But that didn't stop Nelson from sending several Lee County officials an email demanding that, "land owners, sign owners, and planning and zoning officials be penalized to the fullest extent of the law."

"To me that's a big conflict of interest, to be approving signs and you're the ones who decide where the money is going to go for the sign activity," said Nelson.

Alexander responded by saying that regardless of the message, the Lee County government would be taking the same measures it is with the current signs.

"Because if someone came in today and wanted to put up a temporary sign saying, "do not vote for TSPLOST," that wouldn't be a problem, and we'd allow them to do it," said Alexander.

With a total of three electronic traffic signs out on the highways, Nelson says he won't stop fighting until the signs are officially taken down.